Tradition and technology have had a long and comfortable marriage at Old Town. In 1898 we built our first wood-and-canvas canoe, a more durable, lower maintenance improvement on the Native American birch bark canoe that was its inspiration. We did the same thing with the kayak in 1940, rendering the traditional seal-skin design in more durable wood-and-canvas.

The same spirit of innovation led us to introduce lightweight fiberglass versions of our kayaks and canoes in the 1950s and '60s. And it has continued into the 21st century, as we continually strive to advance the art of paddling through better designs and lighter, more durable materials, like today's three layer polyethylene and three layer Superlinear.

As much as we look ahead, though, we always keep one eye on the past, continuing to be inspired by the best of classic boat-building traditions.

The Classic Wood Canoe you purchase from Old Town today is built very much like our first canoes were around the turn of the 20th century.

It's still hand-shaped on the same cedar forms, now more than 100 years old. Still built to the same exacting standards of quality...and, though not built by the same artisans, very possibly by someone related to them.

Our heritage of craftsmanship also lives on in our modern canoes and kayaks. Each is designed and built to the highest, most exacting standards to deliver the finest paddling performance.